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July 20, 2011

Drugstore Diary–First Ten

With my current picky self when it comes to choosing and purchasing cosmetics/skincare and the lot, you might think I don’t venture to drugstore though in fact, I started makeup with drugstore products and have had my fair share of trial and errors of which products reign above the rest and which have failed to impress.

Maybe with my growing mature self, now that I’ve come to like lipsticks and fragrances in the line of Coco Mademoiselle and Armani Code – I realise that some things do come with age…

Now I mustn’t astray to what I initially come to talk to you about… and that’s Drugstore products. I guess I’ll start with naming 10 first before this post gets too long…

1) Bourjois Foundations

First in the list – the brand Bourjois. I believe it’s owned by Chanel. I was introduced to this brand by my mum to be honest but I never paid much attention until I bought my very first liquid foundation, which was their 10 Hour Sleep Effect.

I loved it. I even finished a bottle and purchased a second bottle – that’s when my adventurous makeup enthusiast self went and ventured out to other foundations. However though, if I’d to pick a drugstore foundation, I’d definitely would like to try theirs. I’ve been thinking of trying the Healthy Mix – though one little thing I have about the foundation is the longevity. It’s just not as longlasting as how I’d like my foundation to be and for my usage purposes. Apart from that, a great foundation.

2) Maybelline mascaras

I think we can all agree on this – no?

Some of my favourites include: (note all are in Waterproof formula, I’ve never tried non waterproof ones)

I discovered this sort of an accident. The shade I use, which is Fair (Light 0-1) is not even sold in normal Priceline or Chemist stores. I think they must have discontinued it for whatever reason I know nothing of, but it’s my shade so I’m sticking with it. There’s only 1 store that sells it and it’s Cosmetics Plus (it’s like a discounted cosmetics retail store chains), and retailing at much cheaper price too – so it’s a steal what a deal!

I remember finishing my very first powder pan and guess what, I still keep the empty pan. It’s a bit of a proud moment, I must say. Hahaha…

What do I like about it? It leaves your skin looking flawless and smooth without looking cakey. It actually blends real nice after my skin produces its own little oilyness and the reaction of the two gives a natural finish that is matte but not too matte. And if you need to touch up later, it won’t look cakey yackety!

Y’all know what this looks like – one of Maybelline’s most famous powder, I must say! I was skeptical initially but now … it really is a dream matte powder.

4) Bifacil/Bilayer Eye Makeup Remover

Whichever way you want to call it, I am referring to the two layers kind of makeup remover. I use waterproof mascaras and I believe that this type of remover works best in removing them.

Neutrogena has one, Garnier has one, Face of Australia has one, L’oreal has one – but so far I’ve only used Neutrogena, Face of Australia and Garnier ones, and you can really get Garnier cheaper for more product so I just tend to buy that one even though I’ve repurchased the Neutrogena bottle for the gazillionth of times as well. For a great alternative, the Face of Australia one is really nice as well. You can easily find them literally everywhere at Priceline and every Chemists or Pharmacies that sell the brands.

A very slight residue of the oil you might not like but I am not bothered by it one bit. So there.

To be honest I was pleasantly surprised when I first ventured into this Australian brand, which I always used to pass – mainly due to its unwelcoming display section in every Priceline stores I’ve come to. Don’t be fooled by that, their products have improved so much that I would straight off recommend their products if you’re interested in trying out some Australian cosmetics brand.

Some of my favourites would be:

- High Definition Liquid Eyeliner Pen ~ in a pen form, easy to use, no mess, long lasting no joke, waterproof, budgeproof, smudgeproof. Comes in Black or Brown

- Anti-Ageing Stick Foundation ~ is a great multipurpose stick that you can use as foundation or as concealer. It does smell a little bit of old people to me… so if you’re sensitive about it… smell it first

- Mineral Therapy Liquid Foundation ~ if only the colour was better matched to me but Honey Beige was the closest I could get to my skintone. Apart from that little flaw, this is a really nice lightweight with medium coverage that is easily buildable without looking cakey. Comes in travel friendly plastic bottle with a nozzle to squeeze the product.

- Mechanical Lipliner with inbuilt sharpener! How clever, how neat!

Their eye makeup remover is great too, as aforementioned.

6) Revlon nail polishes

I’ll tell you my first adventure with nail polishes were in high school and they were Revlon nail polishes. When you can get them at $5 a pop at selected stores they are such great buy when you have OPI that retails for $19.95 for 1. Although, I believe Revlon nail polishes normally would retail for around $13.95-$15.95! I personally would not buy them at that price and wait for the sale or if you find them at discounted cosmetics stores.

They really are nice.

7) Manicare Stippling Brush & Manicare Precision Blending Sponge

I generally would not care much for the brand Manicare if not for these 2 items I have, which I love. The Stippling Brush

&

Precision Blending Sponge

Both – I’m sure you’ve seen elsewhere and other brands make them too. MAC and Beauty Blender in particular. But I don’t own those and I own these. They are my babies now and they do so well in helping me in using Illamasqua cream blushers, its major purpose. And blending my concealers and foundation especially around the nose and under the eyes and anywhere – is now so much easier with the sponge.

The Manicare stippling brush is available at Target, while Manicare sponge I believe you can find them at Priceline and any other Chemists/Pharmacists.

8) Lifebuoy Antibacterial Liquid Hand Wash

I told my mum one night that I cannot live without this hand wash for it really does a lot more than just cleansing my hands. Not only it is antibacterial and cleanse my hands from the day’s dirt! it works as sponge/brushes/face cloth cleanser too! With this baby, all came off and my face cloth, my sponges are clean. I like you, I really do…

9) Vaseline Body Lotion

Inexpensive for such a huge pump bottle – this is an all year round investment which I think is a great buy. I’m loving the Yellow bottle and the Brown one (which is the Cocoa Butter formula). Yes they’re not meant to be travel friendly, but that’s why they invented the smaller bottles, y’know. They absorb into the skin without feeling tacky or sticky and actually moisturises!

10) Sukin Natural Skincare

Looking for an affordable inexpensive drugstore natural skincare that smells like orange peel? This is it. Too much to ask? Not really. The price made my jaw dropped, I couldn’t believe how inexpensive it is! That’s right. When it was on sale, it came down to only around $7.99 per bottle of cleanser or moisturiser. Yes you do have to pay more for their Rosehip oil or the Eye Treatment but probably around the $15-$19.99 mark? That’s reasonable when you know there are Rosehip oils out there that retails for $30-$45+… and similar cleansers retailing for 3x the price. Its deodorant smells like orange peel as well (and I adore this scent) and it’s priced even cheaper at maybe around $6… I cannot remember, I purchased mine when it was on sale and it had reduced to around $4.60ish. Oh and they have a Toning Mist which would work best as refresher too.

I do have my other preferences when it comes to other kinds of products and for any further questions – do feel free to request or ask =)

10 comments:

great post. i'm trying very hard to save a few pennies and my biggest expense is *hands down* beauty/makeup and so i love finding cheap-but-still-good quality products. completely agree with maybelline mascaras and vasaline body lotion, which i go through like there's not tomorrow! will have to try the maybelline matte powder too xo

ohh i'll have to check out that foundation.. i didn't know they were owned by chanel! i love chanel foundation but it does get really pricy! i use vasoline lotion too w/ aloe i love it!! it really moisturizes without getting sticky! i absolutely cannot stand the sticky lotion feeling! hehe

Words

"Makeup for everyday women should make you feel good... it's still you - but better." Me"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost "The Road Not Taken"

"Learn this from water: loud splashes the brook but the oceans depth are calm." The Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama)

"The lotus has its roots in the mud,Grows up through the deep water,And rises to the surface.It blooms into perfect beauty and purity in the sunlight.It is like the mind unfolding to perfect joy and wisdom."